Battery Chargers....

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

Ok, so something is up with my neighbor's car. Battery is at 10v static and drops to 8v when she attempts to crank it. She can't find her charger so I walked over there with my 40 year old schauer charger (7A I think?) and told her it would take 8-12 hours for it to bring the battery up (I have a long standing policy of not jump starting vehicles unless I KNOW why the battery died... I don't need to smoke my alternator too, thank you). She looked at me like I was crazy and asked me why it would take so long... My answer was "because my charger takes that long."

 

Do modern, affordable ($40 or less?), battery chargers take dramatically less time to charge a battery that is that dead? My Dad has one of the $200 NAPA cart chargers that has a 20A mode and a starter boost mode, but I don't need all that right now.

 

I'm basically just asking out of curiosity.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Maxwelhse

[YOT 3,743]

Mine has a 55 amp start mode. It is best to set it on 2 amp and let it go overnight. 

[gunman1 1,753]

I have this little 3amp charger that I bought in a yard sale nearly 30 years ago, still works fine. The long slow charge is best, but I can usually get a battery to turn over an engine after about 15 to 30 minutes, if it aint too far gone. I don't do the jumper cable thing either, unless there is just no other option and I'm stuck.

[HB of CJ 1,263]

Yep, 10 volts is very dead. Ideally full charge would read a 14.2, but I for one would be happy with a 13.5 or so. Most, (but not all) lead acid type automotive starter batteries require about 8 hours to fully recharge. 12 to 16 hours is safer and easier on the batt. Just the nature of the batt.

 

To try to do it any quicker just turns the process into heat, which results in the electrolyte just boiling away. Find out what size batt she has, then do the math. Maybe a larger charger would help...or you can try to explain it all to her, but good luck there. HB of CJ (old coot)

 

Edit; There is a whole lot more to it, but you get the general idea. We do not want to cook her starter battery. But....and I forgot this so I am adding it now, if her batt was down to 10 volts, then the likely hood of it NOT being damaged is very slight. Basically she will need a new batt.

Edited June 6, 2014 by HB of CJ

[Shandlanos 1,470]

There are two broad categories of chargers. Yours is a trickle charger. There are reasons to use either. Trickle chargers tend to be gentler on the battery.

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

There are two broad categories of chargers. Yours is a trickle charger. There are reasons to use either. Trickle chargers tend to be gentler on the battery.

/\ /\ and tell her to go out after dark and shut off the dome, visor, center console, glove compartment, trunk or hood light that is draining it. Might help to get the alternator checked to

[storm6490 2,768]

Check fused link, clean contacts on battery even if they seem tight. Check electro fluids.

 

the 2 amp charge will more fully condition and charge your battery but can take up to two days.

 

modern chargers will start out with  high amp and work it's way down to 2amp to fill the charge. Some even cycle and condition the battery.

 

Keep your old charger as the new ones are quite dainty. I went to Napa and got the nicest one not on a cart and have replaced it for free two times now. All chinese crap.

 

Like the others said. Check for parasites. Plugged in radars, iphones, dome lights etc. A locked car should be able to sit for over a month without any problem starting.

 

If the battery is old, go for the Interstate!

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

You guys are pretty much saying what I thought... It's basically the nature of the trickle charger beast and I'm personally ok with that. I don't have any plans to replace my current charger until I get a large enough shop to be able to dedicate the space to one of the cart type chargers. So... MANY years from now.

 

In regard to her car, she once again proved that my help is basically not required when she asks me for it (I find that annoying). I put it on the charger and it pulled 7A immediately then down to 5.5A pretty steady so I went back to my house and told her I would take it off of the charger later that night. She immediately called her son and he just bought a new battery and put it in there. I'm fairly confident the Die Hard that was in it was under warranty (and was the high end model to boot). So... whatever. She swears up and down that she didn't leave a light on or anything, so maybe the battery did just poop out. I doubt it though. I'm betting her alternator is toast and the battery she just threw away was just fine (or possibly met its end as a result of the alternator).

 

She did this exact same thing to me before when she had a coil pack fail. She has a 3800 II motor and I have at least 4 good coil packs laying around for it (since GM coil packs are about an every-other oil change type of thing). By the time I found my spare packs her son had showed up with a new one.. wtf!

Edited June 6, 2014 by Maxwelhse

[h3ws12hi 15]

Unless you meticulously care for your battery, like you s12, you will have to replace it every 3-4 years. I use marine grade clamps and cables on my 88 Comanche and clean the terminals on my newer vehicles at least once  a year. Once cleaned, give it a spray of wd40 to "seal" it from the atmosphere and thus oxidation at the terminal/post.

I am running a red-top in my Comanche installed in September of 2006 and still as strong as the day it was installed.  

Everyone should have a quality portable charger/jumper.

When jumping with cables, remember negative on last and off first. Protect you eyes and never place your body over the battery. Saw one explode in a guys face when I was young and never forgot.

Never, ever allow an open source of ignition, cigarette etc nearby...

 

Respectfully,

Joe

[storm6490 2,768]

I'm on year 8 with the wife's little jap car, OEM factory new.

 

6 years on the GMC interstate.

 

7 years on the Landcruiser interstate.

 

2 years on the wagon interstate.

 

Freaking interstate batteries are golden. Quite impressed with the little toyota battery my wife's car came with. It started to hesitate at the end of winter this year. Going to replace it at the end of summer.

You guys are pretty much saying what I thought... It's basically the nature of the trickle charger beast and I'm personally ok with that. I don't have any plans to replace my current charger until I get a large enough shop to be able to dedicate the space to one of the cart type chargers. So... MANY years from now.

 

In regard to her car, she once again proved that my help is basically not required when she asks me for it (I find that annoying). I put it on the charger and it pulled 7A immediately then down to 5.5A pretty steady so I went back to my house and told her I would take it off of the charger later that night. She immediately called her son and he just bought a new battery and put it in there. I'm fairly confident the Die Hard that was in it was under warranty (and was the high end model to boot). So... whatever. She swears up and down that she didn't leave a light on or anything, so maybe the battery did just poop out. I doubt it though. I'm betting her alternator is toast and the battery she just threw away was just fine (or possibly met its end as a result of the alternator).

 

She did this exact sam ye thing to me before when she had a coil pack fail. She has a 3800 II motor and I have at least 4 good coil packs laying around for it (since GM coil packs are about an every-other oil change type of thing). By the time I found my spare packs her son had showed up with a new one.. wtf!

Sounds to me like you need to tell her you have shit to do and no time to help! Some people are just palain rude like that and don't even know it. You were raised to be a gent but sometimes you have to let that go when dealing with clueless people!

 

Good on ya.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

4 years on a battery? What are you doing to your batteries?!?!  I switched over to Optimas YEARS ago and, if I finally get a good one (which is rare anymore... I'm sticking with AGMs, but no more Optimas...) they go forever.. My TJ Optima is on year 8 and was only occasionally driven and never charged for about the first 5 years of the battery's life. Never had an issue at all.

 

I'm going to drop the big coin for an Odyssey next time since Optima batteries are hit and miss.. My Mustang went through 2 Optimas in a year and the first one LEAKED, which AGMs aren't known for.

 

Stryker: She's a great neighbor so I can't just tell her to fuck off... She's also 70 and by herself. It's not like it was a bunch of work to go over there with my meter and charger. Still though... annoying.